Featuring levers, pulleys, slides, and switches for kids to manipulate, Rube Goldberg® Miracle Machines™ add a touch of whimsy to any playground. These elaborate play panels are designed to thrill and engage the senses for everyone ages 2 and up (CSA 18mo+), helping to develop cognitive and fine motor skills as well as provide insights into cause-and-effect relationships.
To make this series of mechanical chain reaction play panels, Miracle® Recreation collaborated with The Rube Goldberg® Institute for Innovation & Creativity, a family-run, nonprofit organization that uses the legacy of its namesake to promote equity and access in STEAM and STEAM education. A Rube Goldberg Machine® is a delightfully over-complicated contraption that completes a simple task in the silliest way possible.
Rube Goldberg was a Pulitzer-prize winning cartoonist whose depiction of hilariously impractical machines inspires artists, educators, advertisers, and influencers. By partnering with the Rube Goldberg® Institute, Miracle Recreation brings authenticity and delight into recreational play by asking kids to solve three simple tasks: make a cup of tea, feed a cat, and score a goal.

Turn the crank to unleash Cat’s favorite treat and guide it through a series of obstacles accompanied by fun sounds. Watch as it flies through dominoes, passes the flag, and knocks down a banana. Then, there’s a decision to make—put it into Cat’s bowl, or give the treat some fishy flavor by first passing it through the tank? This not only helps kids recognize the impact their actions have, but builds upon their decision-making skills. Thanks to the variety of paths to choose from, whichever they decide to take, the other will be there for the next treat. Cat certainly wouldn’t mind!